MANILA -- Korean barbecue restaurants are everywhere. The unlimited offers and affordable prices are keeping Filipino diners line up for more. Anything eat-all-you-can deal below the P500 price mark is a good bargain.

However, Korean barbecue is not about thin slices of meat dipped in melted processed cheese product. It's about good quality meat, combined with fresh ingredients and complemented by favorful side dishes.

There's a new upscale Korean restaurant that elevates the k-bbq experience in Metro Manila by offering quality food in a beautiful setting. Located at the second floor of Sheraton Manila Hotel in Pasay City, Oori is a dining outlet for people who really love Korean fare but hate mediocre food.

With a kitchen headed by executive Korean chef Kibum Park, the restaurant occupies half of the second level of the hotel. It features a trendy yet sophisticated design in neutral tones.

The space is divided into two distinct spaces: a section that is dedicated to bibimbap and other Korean comfort food; and the Korean grill section.

Bibimbap by Oori offers more affordable meals like bibimbap bowls, street food staples like tteok bokki or rice and fish cake (P550); and dakagangjung or fried chicken (P370). The Korean-style fried chicken is a must-try as well as the unique sisig bibimbap (P600).

This section has an open kitchen attached to a bar where customers can sit and watch chefs in action. The area can seat up to 49 guests.

The bibimbap is served in a different way. Instead of putting all the ingredients in a bowl, the vegetables, gochujang (red chili paste), and sous vide egg are served on the side. The diners can choose what to put into their bowl.

This section also serves popular Korean dessert, bingsu (shaved ice with various toppings).

GRILL SECTION

The grill section, on the other hand, occupies a much bigger space and features 14 barbecue tables, semi private rooms, and two private rooms that can accommodate up to 20 persons each. It also has a lounge table set-ups in front of a bar that serves soju-based cocktails and other drinks.

What sets Oori's Korean grill is the technology behind the barbecue tables. Noticeably, there are no exhaust tubes or pipes hanging from the ceiling. Instead, the exhaust is located under the table. The actual grill is surrounded by exhaust vents around the rim where the smoke gets sucked into.

This technology creates a more pleasant ambiance inside the restaurant and less of the smoke-filled atmosphere. It practically eliminates the smoke smell despite the restaurant using charcoal in the grills.

“In Korea, they don't have big tables like this, it's always small. We have to have big tables because here in the Philippines when we have Sunday lunches, it's the whole family. When we were planning on how to set up the grill, I'm not used to setting grills on long tables, it's usually small, square tables,” said Sheraton Manila Hotel general manager Anna Liza Vergara.

On the grill menu is a variety of Korean dishes like chef Park's special beef galbi jjim (braised short ribs), mandu jeongol (pork, kimchi, and Korean dumpling hot pot), and bulgogi jeongol (beef and mushroom stew).

The main specialty is, of course, the meat selection. The beef includes US Prime and Australian Mulwarra Wagyu rib eye (prices from P820 to P2,460 per 150 grams) while the restaurant offers Duroc Spanish pork (P800 to P900 per 150 grams), a meat that comes from pigs that exclusively eat chestnuts.

The meats are cut in thick slices unlike the thin, paper-like slices typical Korean barbecue restaurants offer.

The restaurant is particularly proud of 16 housemade banchan or side dishes. Oori features five banchan per day and rotates with the others on a daily basis. They also make kimchi in house as well as the special sauces like meljorim (anchovy with soy bean paste).

These sides and sauces are unlimited when ordering barbecue as well as a plate of lettuce, perilla leaves, garlic, and finger chilies.

The restaurant is already getting the approval from several Korean customers, which is a good indication of an authentic dining experience.

“As a matter of fact we are already getting repeat customers from some of our Korean guests. To us, it's an indication that they like it. We're actually getting techniques from them on how to grill. They have their own way of grilling,” Vergara shared.